Folded plastic bag in fiber drum



H. A. BERGSTROM FOLDED PLASTIC BAG IN FIBER DRUM Nov. 3, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 27, 1961 Nov. 3, 1964 H. A. BERGSTROM 3,155,305

FOLDED PLASTIC BAG IN FIBER DRUM Filed- Feb. 27. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

HAROLD A. BEiZG-STZOM BY auw, W L, MM ATTOQUEYS United States Patent 3,155,395 FOLDED PLASTIC BAG W FIEER DRUM Harold A. liergstroni, Van Wert, Qhio, assignor to Continental (Ian Company, Inc, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 27, 1961, Ser. No. 91,863 19 (Ilaims. (Cl. 229-14) This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in fiber drum construction, and more particularly to a novel drum and liner assembly.

There are in widespread use fiber drums which are formed of a cylindrical fiber body member having a metal bottom and a removable metal cover. Because of the nature of the material shipped and stored in fiber drums, it is oftentimes desirable to provide the drums with a suitable liner. It is to improvements in this liner that the present invention relates.

When a fiber drum is to be provided with a liner, it is highly desirable that the drum be furnished with such a liner. It is also desirable that the liner be so secured to the drum that it is merely necessary to pull the liner to an open position and to fill the drum in the desired manner. Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a novel drum and liner assembly wherein the liner is neatly folded and is seated on the bottom of the drum with a portion of the liner being adhesively secured to the bottom of the drum whereby it is merely necessary to exert an upward pull on the liner to unfold the same and move the same to an open position while the bottom portion of the liner remains secured to the bottom of the drum.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel drum and liner assembly which is of a nature wherein the liner of the assembly lies flat on the bottom of the drum so that a drum of a smaller size may be nested into the outer drum to facilitate shipment of the drums without the liner being damaged by the existence of the second drum.

It would appear to be a simple problem to provide drums with liners. However, if the liners are loosely placed in the drums, then, they are apt to be lost or if other articles are temporarily stored in the drums prior to the use of the liner thereof, the liner is subject to damage. On the other hand, if the liner is not provided within the drum, itis necessary that two separate supplies be provided, one for drums and one for liners. It is therefore a further object of this invention to provide a novel drum and liner assembly wherein the liner is provided in a flat state and rests upon the bottom of the drum with a bottom portion of the liner being adhesively secured to the drum, and the liner being retained in its folded state by means of a removable pressure sensitive tape, wherein once the tape has been removed from the liner, the

liner may be readily pulled upwardly and unfolded to position ready for filling.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel liner whichmaybe readily positioned in a drum and retained therein, the liner being folded to a flatxstate and temporarily sealed in its folded state, and the liner having a diagonal dimension corresponding to the circumference of the drum wherein when thefolded liner is dropped into the drum, it will contact the inner surface of the wall of the drum and be guided to a centrally located position on the bottom of the drum.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel folded liner for use in conjunction with drum-likec'ontainers, the liner being formed from a flattened tube 3,155,365 Patented Nov. 3,

lines until it has a substantially square outline with a diagonal dimension substantially equal to the circumference of the drum for which the liner is intended.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel drum-like container and liner assembly wherein the liner is folded to a flat shape for being snugly engaged with portions of the container wherein the liner is centrally located with respect to the bottom wall of the container, and a bottom wall forming portion of the liner, is provided with adhesive which secures the liner to the container with the top or bottom wall portion of the liner being properly aligned with the bottom wall of the com tainer.

With the above, and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings:

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view with portions broken away and shown in section of a pair of nested drum and liner assemblies formed in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of one of the drum and liner assemblies of FIGURE 1, with a portion of the liner being broken away and shownin section, and the liner being shown in an initially unfolded state after the means securing the folded liner together has been removed. 4

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view similar to FIGURE 2 and shows the liner in its fully extended position ready to receive the material to be packed within the drum.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view similar to FIGURE 2 and shows the filled and sealed liner.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a tube from which the liner is folded and shows thereon two of the transverse fold lines along which the tube is sequentially reversely folded.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view showing the tube of FIGURE 5 folded along the first fold line and in the process of being folded along the second fold line.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view showing the tube folded along the first and second fold lines and in the process of being folded along the third fold line by dashdot lines.

FIGURE 8 is another perspective view of the partially folded tube with the folding of the tube along the fourth fold line being shown by dash-dot line's.

FIGURE 9 is another perspective view of the partially folded tube and shows the same being folded along its fifth fold line in dash-dot lines.

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view showing the tube folded along the transverse fold lines and being folded along a first longitudinal fold line by dash-dot lines.

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view showing the partially folded tube with the fold along the first longitudinal fold line being completed and thev movement of folding along the second longitudinal fold line being shown by arrows.

FIGURE 12 is a perspective view of the folded liner readily to be placed in a drum. n FIGURE 13 is a rotated perspective view showing'the bottom of the folded liner and the position of adhesive placed thereon.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, reference is first made to FIGURE 1, wherein there is illustrated in ternested drum and liner assemblies 15 and 16 formed in accordance with the invention. The drum and liner assembly 15 is disposed outermost and includes a liner, generally referred to by the numeral 17, and a drum,gen-' 19 is closed by a bottom wall 20 which is schematically :3 shown and which is secured to the lower .edge portion of the body 19 in sealed relation. The drum 18 is provided with a cover (not shown). It is to be noted that the liner 17 is folded flat and rests directlyon the bottom wall 28 of the drum 1,8.

The drum and liner assembly 16 includes a liner, generally referred to by the numeral 21, and a drum, generally referred to by the numeral 22. The drum 22 is of the same construction as the drum 18, but is of a smaller size. The drum 22 includes a fiber body 23 which has the lower end thereof closed by a bottom wall 24 which is also schematically shown. Like the drum 18, the drum 22 is intended to have the upper end thereof closed by a removable cover (not shown).

Reference is now made to FIGURES through 13, wherein the details of a liner, such as the liner 17, are shown. The liner 17 is formed from a flattened tube 25 which is sealed along its lower edge, as at 26. The tube is preferably formed of .a stretchable plastic material, such as polyethylene, although other materials may be utilized.

In folding the tube 25 into the liner 17 illustrated in FIGURE 12, the tube 25 is first reversely folded along a first fold line 27 in the direction of the arrow A in FIG- URE 5. This defines a first panel 28, the opposite-portions thereof forming substantially the bottom forming portion of the liner 17.

Reference is now made to FIGURE 6 wherein it is shown that the tube 25 is next folded along the transverse fold line 29 in the direction of the arrow B to'define a first'intermediate panel 30 which is disposed between the fold lines 27 and 29.

In FIGURE 7, there is illustrated in phantom lines the tube 25 in the process of being folded along a third fold line 31 in the direction of the arrow C, with a second intermediate panel 32 being defined between the fold lines 29 and 31. In FIGURE 8, the tube 25 is illustrated in solid lines subsequent to the folding thereof along the third fold line 31, and in phantom lines in the process of being folded along a fourth fold line 33, in the direction of the arrow D. In the folding of the tube 25 along the fourth fold line 33, a third intermediate panel 34 is formed between the fold lines 31 and 33.

Reference is now made to FIGURE 9 wherein it is shown that the tube 25 is further folded along a fifth and final transverse fold line 35 in the direction of the arrow E. In the folding of the tube 25 along the fold line 35, which is disposed adjacent the open end 36 of the tube 25, a fourth intermediate panel 37 is formed between the fold lines 33 and 35. The folding of the'tube along the fold line 35 also defines an uppermost panel 38 which is disposed between the fold line 35 and the open end 36 of the tube '25.

After the reverse folding of the tube 25 along the transverse fold lines is completed, the partially folded tube 25 is next folded along a first longitudinal v-fold line 39 in the direction of the arrows F in FIGURE 10. In so folding the partially folded tube 25, an intermediate multiple layer panel 40 is formed. The partially folded tube 25 is then folded in the direction of'the arrow G along a second longitudinal fold line 41, as is best shown in FIGURE 11. When the folding of the tube 25 along the fold line 41 is completed, the tube has now been trans formed into the folded liner 17 and an outermost'multiple layer panel 42 has been defined and has a portion thereof in overlapping relation'with respect to the panel 40. A lowermost panel 43 is also formed between the panels '40, 42. The tube 25 is retained inits completely folded state by an adhesive strip 44 which is removably secured to the material of the tube 25 to retain the tube 25 in its flattened state and at the same time to' permit easeof opening the tube. V e

'As is bestillustrated in FIGURE 13,-the foldedliner 17 is provided with adhesive 45 on the underside of the panel 28, which is exposed in the folded liner 17. The

liner 17 is now ready to be dropped into one of the drums, such as the drum 18.

It is to be noted that the liner 17 is folded to have a substantially square outline. It is also to be noted at this time that the diagonal dimension of the liner 17 in its folded state, as it appears in FIGURE 12, is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the associated drum 18. Thus, when the drum 18 passes down the assembly line, it is merely necessary that one of the liners 17 be dropped thereinto. As the liner falls into the drum, it is guided by its engagement with the fiber body 19 and when it comes .to rest on the bottom 20 of the drum 18, it assumes a centered position. Further, due to the provision of the adhesive layer 45, when the liner 17 engages the bottom wall 20 of the drum 18, the adhesive layer 45 adhesively secures the proper ortion of the liner 17 to the bottom wall 20 so that the liner 17 is properly oriented with respect to the drum 18.

In FIGURE 1, it is illustrated how a plurality of drum and liner assemblies of diiferent sizes may be nested one within the other in a manner to prevent damaging of the associated liners. Since the liners, such as the liners 17 and 21 of FIGURE 1, lie flat on the bottom walls of the drums, it will be readily apparent that the liners in no way detract from the feasibility of nesting the drums for storage and shipment purposes. At the same time, the liners, due to the fact that they are folded flat, are not subject to damage.

When it is desired to use one of the drums, for example, the drum 18, it is merely necessay to reach into the bottom of the drum and to remove the adhesive strip 44 which retains the associated liner 17 in its fully folded state. Once the adhesive strip 44 has been removed, the liner 17 will open up to the position illustrated generally in FIGURE 2, wherein the overfolded portions 40 and 42 will assume generally upright positions and the central portion of the uppermost panel 38 will be exposed. It is then merely necessary to grasp the uppermost panel 38 and to pull upwardly thereon, with the result that the liner 17 will assume its tubular shape, substantially as is shown in FIGURE 3. Due to the adhesion of the bottom portion of the liner 17 to the bottom wall 20 of the drum 18, it will be apparent that the liner 17 remains secured properly to the drum 18 and is now ready to be filled.

After the opened liner 17 has been filled, it is secured at the upper end thereof, preferably by means of a drawstring or other type of fastening means, the drawstring being referred to by the numeral 46. All of the liner 17 may now be telescoped down into the upper portion of the drum 18, and the drum 18 is ready for receiving its cover (not shown).

From the foregoing, it will be seen that a conventional liner'for a drum, such as a fiber drum, may be readily folded to a flat state and when so folded, may be readily inserted'into and secured in a fiber drum. By properly dimensioning the'folded outline of the liner, it is merely necessary to drop the liner into the fiber drum, with the result that the engagement of the corners of the folded liner with the body of the fiber drum will align the liner with the bottom wall of the drum, and when the bottom wall forming portion of the liner is provided with a suitable adhesive, the liner will be secured to the bottom wall of the drum in the proper position. Furthermore, with the liner having the bottom Wall forming portion thereof adhesively s'ecured to the bottom wall of a drum, it is merely necessary to pull upwardly on the upper portion of the liner to elfect the opening thereof within the drum. While the folding of the liner to a relatively flat state has numerous advantages in the placement, securement and opening of the liner, it also has the advantage of protecting the liner'both against loss and damage during shipment.

. Although the invention has been described in connection with a drum having a fiber body and metal ends, it will be evident that the drum body may be made of other materials such as steel, and that the bottoms and covers may also be made of materials other than steel such as fiberboard or Wood.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provision has been made for carrying out the desired end. However, attention is directed to the fact that variations may be made in the example device disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination of a drum-like container and a tubular liner, said container having a bottom wall and a side wall rising peripherally therefrom, said tubular liner having a bottom wall, said liner bottom wall being seated solely upon the container bottom and secured only thereto thereby anchoring said liner to said container bottom wall, said liner being folded for opening to a position coextensive with the bottom and peripheral side walls of the container.

2. The container and liner assembly of claim 1 wherein said peripheral side Wall is cylindrical and said folded liner has a diagonal dimension substantially equal to the inner diameter of said cylindrical side wall, whereby said liner is centrally located relative to said container.

3. The container and liner assembly of claim 1 wherein said liner is sequentially reversely folded along a plurality of transverse lines, whereby said liner may be unfolded by an upwardly directed pull.

4. The container and liner assembly of claim 1 wherein said liner is first sequentially reversely folded along a plurality of transverse lines, and then along a pair of longitudinal lines whereby said liner may be unfolded by an upwardly directed pull.

5. A plurality of nested container and tubular liner assemblies, each of said containers having a bottom wall and a side wall rising peripherally therefrom, and said tubular liner having a bottom wall, said tubular liner bottom wall being seated solely upon said container bottom with said bottom wall secured solely to said container bottom to thereby anchor said liner to said container bottom, said liner being folded for opening to a container lining position, only the bottom wall of an inner one of said containers resting on the liner of the next outer one of said containers.

6. A plurality of nested containers and tubular liner assemblies as defined in claim 5 wherein the peripheral side wall of each of said containers is cylindrical and each of said folded tubular liners has a diagonal dimension substantially equal to the inner diameter of each of said cylindrical side walls, whereby each of said liners is centrally located relative to each of said respective containers.

7. A liner for a drum-like container, said liner being folded flat for ready opening and being formed from a flattened tube sealed at one end, said liner being first sequentially reversely folded along a plurality of transverse lines, and then along a pair of longitudinal lines whereby said liner may be unfolded by an upwardly directed pull.

8. The liner of claim 7 wherein said tube is formed of a stretchable plastic material.

9. The liner of claim 7 wherein said one sealed end forms a bottom wall of said liner and is provided with an adhesive adapted to secure said liner within a drum-like container.

10. A liner for a drum-like container, said liner com prising a flattened tube sealed at one end, and open at the opposite end, a pair of longitudinal edges defining the longitudinal extent of said tube, a plurality of transverse fold lines displaced longitudinally along the tube whereby the tube may be sequentially reversely folded along the transverse fold lines, the distance between the first fold line and the one sealed end and the last fold line and the opposite end being substantially less than the distances between any of the remaining fold lines, a pair of longitudinal fold lines, the distance between the longitudinal fold lines being greater than the distance of either longitudinal fold line and the nearest longitudinal tube edge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 640,287 Horning Jan. 2, 1900 2,511,481 Schneider June 13, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 249,116 Germany May 31, 1911 

1. THE COMBINATION OF A DRUM-LIKE CONTAINER AND A TUBULAR LINER, SAID CONTAINER HAVING A BOTTOM WALL AND A SIDE WALL RISING PERIPHERALLY THEREFROM, SAID TUBULAR LINER HAVING A BOTTOM WALL, SAID LINER BOTTOM WALL BEING SEATED SOLELY UPON THE CONTAINER BOTTOM AND SECURED ONLY THERETO THEREBY ANCHORING SAID LINER TO SAID CONTAINER BOTTOM WALL, SAID LINER BEING FOLDED FOR OPENING TO A POSITION 